Pages On: Medical Negligence

Medical blunder results in tragic death

Posted: 15 March 2016

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

An inquest being held in North London Coroners’ Court has heard that a series of neglectful errors at Northwick Park Hospital resulted in the death of an 85-year-old grandmother on 7 May 2015.  Irmgard Cooper had been undergoing a serious but successful heart procedure at the hospital when it was discovered that her blood supplies had been sent back to the blood bank by mistake.  The surgeon was not made aware of the error and had begun to operate on Mrs Cooper. It was during the operation that the surgeon…

Paramedic guilty of misconduct

Posted: 7 March 2016

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A health professional panel has found paramedic Andrew Davies guilty of misconduct for failing to go to the aid of a man with health difficulties in June 2012. The Health and Care Professions Council panel heard how Davies had stood by and watched while Mr Carl Cope, 47, took ill in Walsall Manor Hospital car park. Mr Cope later died of a heart attack. Four further members of clinical staff were also charged with failure to care for a patient in need. West Midlands Ambulance Service, Davies’ employer, had dismissed the worker for…

Woman dies from hospital-contracted Legionnaires

Posted: 15 February 2016

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Cancer Diagnosis, Wrongful & Accidental Death

68-year-old Terry Brooks, from Bath, died from Legionnaire’s disease contracted at the Royal United Hospital in July of last year, an inquest has heard. The inquest also heard that due to failings in the hospital’s system, the contamination had not been detected. The disease, which flourishes in water systems that are not kept hot or cold enough, is caused by the Legionella bacteria. Public Health England, tested the water supplies at the William Budd ward of the hospital, as well as supplies at three other homes that Mr Brooks had visited during the…

Three-week wait for GP appointment

Posted: 9 February 2016

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Shadow governor of the North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust, Alan Alexander, has said that people in the area can wait up to three weeks to get a non-urgent appointment with a GP.  Health chiefs have announced that due to the shortage of GPs, a bursary of £20,000 is to be offered to GP trainees who come to Cumbria to live and work.  Mr Alexander stated at a meeting of the West Cumbria Community Forum health group: “We are going to be seriously depleted in the next 10 to 15 years…

12-month old’s life could have been saved

Posted: 30 January 2016

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims, Wrongful & Accidental Death

An NHS England report has stated that the life of 12-month-old William Mead from Cornwall could have been saved if he had received better medical care.  Both GPs and call handlers from NHS 111 failed to recognise that he was suffering from sepsis (blood poisoning) following a chest infection.  This has raised doubts about the efficacy of England’s out-of-hours helpline which uses advisors, who are not medically trained, inputting information to a computer system.  It states that if a medic had taken the emergency call it is possible that the…

Poor antenatal care for multiple births

Posted: 29 November 2015

Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence

A report published following research carried out by the Twins and Multiple Births Association and the NCT reveals that women expecting multiple births are receiving poor antenatal care in some areas of England.  Guidelines laid down by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in 2011 and quality standards in 2013 on antenatal care have not been implemented in full in 80-90% of UK units.  The survey of 1400 patients revealed that services in the North East of England were the best, while the South East and West…

Family awarded payout following man’s hospital brain injury

Posted: 8 November 2015

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence

The family of a man who suffered serious brain damage after choking on his vomit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital has been awarded undisclosed damages by the Trust. 33-year-old Ross Askew was originally admitted to hospital on New Year’s Day 2010 with complaints of abdominal pain, he was diagnosed with severe necrotising pancreatitis. However, when he choked on his own vomit, he suffered a severe brain injury and subsequently required 24hr care. It was heard that Mr Askew had been fighting a recurring brain tumour at the time of the…

Care home fails to maintain standards

Posted: 29 October 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A care home in Hawick has been issued with at formal improvement notice by the Care Commission.  The notice was described as “urgent” by the issuing authority and covered eight crucial areas of care support.  St Andrews Care Home, which is managed by Park Homes UK, was judged to be lacking in providing adequate staffing levels, as well as maintaining unacceptable levels of cleanliness. The Home also came under criticism for its provision of medication to vulnerable residents, as well as ensuring that residents are properly fed.  The Care Commission…

Prostate surgeon under investigation

Posted: 2 October 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Cancer Diagnosis

A Birmingham-based surgeon has been dismissed after a total of 170 men had their prostates removed, some for no clear reason. Dr Arackal Manu Nair, who once appeared on the television programme Embarrassing Bodies, recently resigned after strict restrictions were placed on his work by the General Medical Council (GMC) following numerous concerns. A worrying number of male patients allege that Mr Nair removed their prostate for no apparent reason. One case saw a patient have his prostate removed despite absolutely no evidence of cancer, where another had his removed…

Mother loses baby injury case

Posted: 25 September 2015

Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence, Shoulder Injuries

A mother who attempted to sue the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) over the injuries suffered by her baby during delivery has had her case rejected. 34-year-old Lisa Everard claimed damages for her newly born baby after she felt that excessive force was applied to her daughter Sophie’s head when doctors diagnosed her with shoulder dystocia, leaving her ”with weaknesses in her left elbow and shoulder.” She said that the doctor who delivered her daughter was panicked and “muddled”, which led him to apply excessive grip on her head to…

Hospital chiefs apologise over failed operation

Posted: 30 August 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

George Eliot Hospital chiefs have apologised to a patient after she was left with third degree burns to her breast following surgery. 31-year-old Stephanie Austin suffered the injuries during a major breast duct excision, an operation to remove the end of all milk ducts to find out what was causing her discomfort and discharge. Ms Austin said that the mistakes have left her with permanent scarring, and claims that no apology was offered following the operation. It was heard that the procedure involved a diathermy rod, a metal instrument that…

Paramedics failed to recognise skull fractures

Posted: 24 August 2015

Posted in: Criminal Injury and Assault, Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence

A man who suffered severe head injuries after being attacked on a night out was told by paramedics that he was not seriously injured. Michael Kane, described by police as a “good Samaritan”, was knocked unconscious when trying to help two women in March. 29-year-old Ricky Scott admitted to punching Mr Kane at Nottingham Crown Court, but said he was simply protecting his girlfriend after considering Mr Kane to be a threat. CCTV footage was released, showing Mr Kane being knocked out with one punch earlier this year. The images…

Government “chasing headlines” on NHS

Posted: 16 August 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

According to the British Medical Association, the government has been “chasing headlines” on the NHS instead of actually tackling the real issues. The doctors’ union published a review of the government’s first 100 days in office, suggesting that ministers chose to alienate doctors instead of actually facing any of the NHS’s problems head-on. The review was released after Jeremy Hunt announced plans for seven-day working. The review highlighted a number of headline-grabbing announcements made by ministers in their first 100 days in office, leaving several questions unanswered. These include talks…

Malnourishment misdiagnosis causes death

Posted: 28 July 2015

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

The mother of Kayleigh Compton, who died from a brain injury as a result of undiagnosed malnourishment, has released photographs of her dying daughter in hospital. The 23-year-old had visited her GP following very rapid weight loss, before finally being admitted to hospital after dropping from ten stone to six stone in six months. It was heard that every time she attempted to eat, she was sick. After doctors carried out a number of tests, they were unable to find the cause of her weight loss. An independent review found…

Brain damaged teenager to receive multi-million pound payout

Posted: 25 June 2015

Posted in: Birth Injury, Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence

13-year-old Ben Harman is to receive a multi-million pound compensation package after an east Kent hospital admitted to causing his brain damage at birth. The brain injury happened when doctors failed to check his blood sugar levels after birth, despite clear warning signs that he was not healthy. It was heard that hospital staff failed to carry out any glucose tests until two days after his birth, by which point his condition had deteriorated, and he had suffered a brain injury. It was heard in court that Ben was severely…

University Hospital deemed inadequate by CQC

Posted: 2 May 2015

Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence

Following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) of Whipps Cross University, a number of concerning issues have been raised with Barts Health NHS Trust.  Concerns were raised about the Leytonstone hospital including staff bullying and patients being put at risk of inadequate care.  Inspectors found short-comings in urgent and emergency care, general medical care, surgery, end of life care, outpatients and services for children and young people.  They further went on to report that improvements were needed in maternity, gynaecology services and critical care.  There is a culture…

A third of east of England children’s homes inadequate

Posted: 2 May 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

In recent reports by the education watchdog, Ofsted, it was found that one in three residential children’s homes in the east of England are only meeting minimum standards or are inadequate.  In extracts from reports, there were schools found where “central heating was not working in the winter”, there was a “shortage of food” and “serious concerns about bullying”.  There are about 1550 vulnerable young people being housed in 194 children’s homes in the east of England.  Improvement in homes over the last 3 years has been found to be…

Care home under investigation

Posted: 21 April 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Amber Valley Borough Council has instigated an investigation following the death of Thomasina Bennet, aged 80, who was found dead underneath a wardrobe in her Care Home in 2012.  It has been alleged that a breach in health and safety regulations lead to Ms Bennet being suffocated when a wardrobe fell on top of her at Milford House Care Home in Derbeyshire on 9 April 2012.  Employee Gerald Hudson, 71, from Ambergate, has been accused of negligence following the incident.  It is alleged that Mr Hudson failed to ensure that…

Hospital ‘failed’ vulnerable patient

Posted: 1 April 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

An investigation into the death of a 95-year-old woman who fell ill in hospital was ‘failed’ by her health trust. It was uncovered that Monica Bridle fell between her bed and the wall of her room at the University Hospital Southampton in 2013, but staff failed to inform her family. Following the incident, Mrs Bridle was discharged from hospital and returned to her nursing home, which hospital staff also failed to inform her family about.  The hospital said it had “unreservedly apologised” to Mrs Bridle’s family. Mrs Bridle’s son had…

Unrequested DNR notice caused death

Posted: 19 March 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims, Wrongful & Accidental Death

An inquest has heard that NHS staff “played God” when they put a ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ (DNR) notice on an elderly man before he died, despite the fact that he did not request one. 66-year-old great grandfather Michael Richardson, from Great Yarmouth, died in James Paget University Hospital, Gorleston, in 2013.  He had been diagnosed with a lung condition and was only given an estimated one year to live. His widow, 65-year-old Janet Richardson, accused NHS staff of playing God after she discovered that they had placed a DNR notice…

Call for waiting time targets to be downgraded

Posted: 9 March 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Experts have called for the national four-hour waiting time target to be downgraded as it is misleading the health service’s priorities. This proposal came from the Nuffield Trust after the health service endured one of the toughest winters, causing all four parts of the UK to miss the waiting time target. Experts said that because of this “fixation” on waiting times, key areas such as ambulance delays and bed rotation are not getting the attention they require. Representatives from the Nuffield Trust said that long waiting times for beds, known…

Failings responsible for 11 baby deaths

Posted: 3 March 2015

Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

An inquiry has concluded that the deaths of 11 babies could have been prevented had it not been for a “lethal mix” of failures at a Cumbrian hospital. An investigation into Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust found that a total of 20 different failings contributed to the deaths of 11 babies at Furness General Hospital between 2004 and 2013. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt described the findings as “a second Mid Staffs” in the House of Commons. The report stated that the highlighted failings represented the inadequacy of “a great many…

1,000 cancelled hospital ops

Posted: 25 February 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A hospital in Devon has had to cancel over 1,000 operations due to increased pressures on their service. The hospital has been on “black alert” since January due to an overwhelming demand on its A&E department, a problem that is also being faced at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust and Yeovil Hospital in Somerset. Plymouth Hospitals Trust said that routine operations such as knee and hip replacements and hernia repairs have had to be cancelled at Derriford Hospital. The chief operating officer for Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Kevin Baber, said…

Lives saved by ‘special measures’

Posted: 9 February 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A recent report has highlighted the number of deaths that were potentially prevented by the ‘special measures’ programme placed on 11 of England’s failing hospital trusts. The report, which was carried out by the Dr Foster data analysis company, looked at the individual failing hospitals identified in the wake of the Stafford Hospital scandal. The report highlighted how average death rates fell after these urgent measures were put in place. The Stafford Hospital scandal saw hundreds of patients receive inadequate health care, prompted by the death of a woman in…

Serious errors in boy’s heart surgery

Posted: 2 February 2015

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

The family of a boy who died after serious errors were made during his heart surgery seeks answers. 11-year-old Bradley Brough, from York, died in 2010 after undergoing three operations in two days at Leeds General Infirmary. Bradley suffered with a complex congenital heart defect that required him to undergo an operation to divert the flow of blood in his heart. However, despite three operations, he died after suffering a bleed to the brain. A letter that was composed by the hospital trust admitted that errors were made during his…

Care home fined following radiator death

Posted: 25 January 2015

Posted in: Leg Injuries, Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A care home in Leicester has been fined after one of its residents died after becoming trapped between a wardrobe and a radiator. The Western Park View home is being fined £100,000 after 85-year-old Walter Powley died of severe burns. The accident happened after Mr Powley fell, causing him to get trapped between a wardrobe and a radiator, where the piping and valves were uncovered. He died in hospital eight days after the accident. During a hearing at Leicester Crown Court, based in Wolverhampton, Western Park Leicester pleaded guilty to…

Prisoner’s cancer care criticised

Posted: 18 January 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Cancer Diagnosis

The care provided to a prisoner suffering with cancer has been described by a prison watchdog as “one of the worst examples of poor care”. 34-year-old James Colton from Swansea died in August 2013 after months of complaining about severe back pain. Mr Colton died of malignant melanoma two days after being admitted to the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch as an emergency. Mr Colton was serving a life sentence for murder at the maximum security prison near Evesham when he fell ill with cancer. Despite frequently complaints, the prison failed to…

Judges dismiss injury in the womb claims

Posted: 31 December 2014

Posted in: Birth Injury, Criminal Injury and Assault, Personal Injury

UK judges have dismissed claims concerning people injured in the womb under a program for the innocent victims of crime, arguing that the victims are not considered “persons” under the law while in the womb. The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) has criticized the ruling as defying all reason. The ruling followed a claim made by one affected claimant, however a further 80 children awaited the result from the Criminal Injury Compensation Authority, having also been affected by fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). It was ruled that compensation…

Hospital pays out to brain-damaged boy

Posted: 9 December 2014

Posted in: Birth Injury, Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence

Torbay Hospital in Devon is to payout £2.17million in compensation after a boy suffered severe brain-damage during his birth.  The child suffered the brain-damage in 2004 due to his brain being starved of oxygen during labour. As a result, the High Court ruled that he is to receive a lump sum of £2.17m and £189,500 per annum until he is twenty. The annual payment will then increase to £232,125 for the rest of his life. Since the accident, the boy has developed cerebral palsy, is unable to leave a wheelchair,…

‘Devastating’ misdiagnosis

Posted: 19 October 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

A man who was misdiagnosed with dementia has received an apology from an NHS trust after tests showed him to be clear of the condition three years after diagnosis.  71-year-old Leighton Peacock was given a scan in 2011, which showed him to be suffering with dementia.  However, over the years following the diagnosis, Mr Peacock did not deteriorate in the way doctors expected him to. The clinical director for dementia at Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Vicky Brown, said she was deeply apologetic for the distress caused by the…

Care in England “not good enough”

Posted: 11 October 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence

The Chief Inspector of adult social care at the Care Quality Commission has described the care being provided in care homes across England as “awful”.  Andrea Sutcliffe said that recent reviews made some worrying findings and that action had to be taken immediately. The CQC is due to publish new plans on how it is better going to regulate, inspect and rate care homes on Thursday. Following recent hospital scandals across the country, the CQC has been criticised for failing to regulate care standards adequately.  However, Ms Sutcliffe said that…

Ambulance service blamed for death

Posted: 19 September 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Ambulance “cutbacks” have been blamed for the death of 73-year-old grandmother Sonia Powell.  Mrs Powell was forced to wait in an hour-long ambulance queue despite having suffered a suspected heart attack.  She died in the ambulance queue outside Morriston Hospital on Wednesday afternoon. Mrs Powell’s family has blamed NHS cutbacks for her death. Her granddaughter, Kim Thompson, said that her grandmother had originally been admitted to Neath Port Talbot Hospital on Monday, but was being transferred to the cardiac unit at Morriston Hospital after having, what was believed to be,…

Depression in cancer patients overlooked

Posted: 28 August 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Cancer Diagnosis

Recent research has discovered that around three-quarters of cancer patients do not receive the psychological treatment they require.  Researchers have suggested that the problem is due to the physical symptoms being addressed at the expense of the psychological.  The research, carried out by the Lancet, highlighted that the problem is overlooked even though it could be treated at a fraction of the cost of cancer medication. Research carried out by Edinburgh and Oxford Universities found that clinical depression is a very common reaction to cancer, with it often being wrongly…

Son’s anger over father’s sight loss

Posted: 25 August 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Laser Eye Surgery

The son of a man who became blind after a failed eye operation is seeking information about what went wrong. A contracted company called Vanguard had performed the surgery at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton. It was found that they had been contracted by the private hospital to reduce a backlog of eye patients awaiting cataract surgery. 84-year-old Chris Newcombe, from Langport, was one of many who suffered complications as a result of cataract surgery by Vanguard Healthcare. Of the 62 patients operated on by Vanguard, 31 complained of blurred vision and swollen…

Hospital faces numerous compensation claims

Posted: 18 August 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Laser Eye Surgery

A hospital in Somerset currently faces numerous medical negligence compensation claims from patients that believe their eyesight to have been damaged by surgery performed by a private provider. Vanguard Healthcare, based at Musgrove Park Hospital, had been carrying out cataract eye surgery on patients to help the trust clear its backlog of patients waiting to receive eye treatment. As a result, around half of those that underwent surgery have complained of damaged eyesight. A lawyer said that half of the 62 patients who underwent surgery suffered sight problems afterwards. His…

Patients given ‘out-of-date’ medication

Posted: 1 August 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence

An investigation has been launched after it was discovered that the North East Ambulance Service Trust had administered out-of-date drugs to patients.  The trust referred itself to the Health Care Watchdog after it was found that paramedics had been accidently giving patients out-of-date medicines.  The error was highlighted in the trust’s routine audit, which found that 75 doses of morphine and diazepam had been given to patients, despite being passed their expiry date.  A total of 26 paramedics had been involved in the administration of the drugs. The trust stressed…

Chronic pain suffers thrown a lifeline

Posted: 10 June 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Personal Injury

With chronic pain affecting almost eight million people across the UK, suffers in the North East and Cumbria are being offered a new form of treatment. 600 patients in the region are already being treated with this new method, but the pain management team at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary say that they can help an additional 100 suffers.  The treatment involves an implant being inserted into a fatty area of the body, such as the stomach or buttock, and wires are connected to the spine. The small stimulator sends electrical impulses…

Patient care at hospital scrutinized

Posted: 29 May 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence

An investigation has been launched into the care provided by a North Yorkshire hospital after patients complained that their conditions deteriorated while treated there.  Friarage Hospital in Northallerton is a 225-bed hospital run by the South Tees Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.  GPs have launched an inquiry into the care procedures of the hospital after many patients complained that their conditions worsened during treatment. Recent information received by the GPs prompted the investigation, with findings that a low percentage of patients were actually improving during their stay at the hospital.  The…

Doctors misdiagnosing 30,000 brain injury cases a year

Posted: 19 May 2014

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence

Recent research suggests that doctors are misdiagnosing thousands of patients a year who suffer with chronic pain and fatigue. While doctors continue to diagnose them with psychological problems, research suggests that they are in fact suffering from a form of brain damage. Patients affected by chronic pain and suffering are being denied blood tests, which would quickly pinpoint the actual issue. This has resulted in thousands of patients being treated ineffectively every year and living a life of misery. Research has found that the major cause of this form of damage is…

AKI killing 1,000 patients every month

Posted: 24 April 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

According to a newly published report commissioned by the NHS, around 1,000 NHS patients are dying from an acute kidney injury every month.  Known as ‘Acute Kidney Injury’ (AKI), the people affected tend to be the most vulnerable hospital patients. AKI is acquired through a lack of basic care, with most patients developing the illness through dehydration. The report referred to the death toll as “completely unacceptable”. The report drew attention to the fact that more people are dying from preventable illnesses today than at the height of the hospital bug…

Hospital admits failings over death

Posted: 5 April 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Two NHS trusts have admitted to failings that resulted in the death of 34-year-old Simon Willson.  The father of two was found hanging in a hospital toilet after being transferred out of A&E – having waited four hours – without being seen by a mental health professional. It was found that this was in an attempt to meet the hospital’s targets. Mr Willson was admitted to the Kent and Canterbury Hospital in January 2010 after taking a serious drug overdose. He was first referred to Canterbury’s mental health services –…

Weekend doctor numbers all time low

Posted: 30 March 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Figures released by the BBC have found that staffing levels across the UK’s hospitals are at an all time low.  It’s been highlighted that only a fraction of the doctors working during the week are on site over the weekends.  A particularly worrying statistic has been expressed by the report: that only 16% of doctors working during the week are on duty at the weekend.  Medical director of NHS England, Prof Sir Bruce Keogh, said that changes had to be made “with urgency”. The report further revealed the extreme difference…

Health trust requires “urgent improvements”

Posted: 31 January 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A recent investigation has uncovered worrying shortfalls within the Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust.  Care Quality Commission inspectors made “extremely concerning” findings during their unannounced visits last year.  Inspectors went to the trust’s headquarters and Ward 35 Immediate Care Unit at Aintree University Hospital, where it was uncovered that the trust was failing to meet national care and welfare targets. It was found that the trust had a “high staff sickness rate” alongside a “poor staff skill mix”, two reasons contributing to the poor quality of care.  During the investigation,…

Safety measures improved where British woman died in US hospital

Posted: 27 January 2014

Posted in: Accidents and Sickness Abroad, Medical Negligence, Public Place Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death

After a British woman was discovered dead at the bottom of a stairwell in San Francisco General Hospital last October, an investigation has recognised a dramatic improvement in safety measures. Lynne Spalding, from Haswell in County Durham, had been missing for seventeen days before she was found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs only yards away from her bed.  The hospital was searched and the Police opened a missing person investigation. It was later discovered that Sheriff Department deputies had failed to search in stairways. Health inspectors,…

10-year-old girl awarded £5m for hospital failures

Posted: 20 January 2014

Posted in: Birth Injury, Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence

10-year-old Louisa Ravouvou, who suffered severe brain damage in 2003 due to hospital failures, has been awarded with £5m in a High Court ruling. Louisa suffered a bleed on her brain when in the womb, which hospital staff failed to treat, resulting in her brain damage.  Not long after her birth, hospital staff failed to carry out a blood transfusion: resulting in “catastrophic brain damage”. Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust and Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust both admitted to care failures concerning Louisa Ravouvou. Louisa’s mother had been admitted to…

A&E targets missed by NHS England

Posted: 13 January 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Figures released last week revealed that NHS England failed to meet their A&E waiting time target for the week leading up to the 5th of January.  The national waiting time target for A&E departments is that 95% of patients should be seen within four hours.  In the week running up to the 5th of January only 94.3% of patients were seen within this time; with minor injury units and walk-in centres only seeing 91.5% of patients. The failure to meet waiting time targets was coupled with the fact that drop-in…

Hospital doctors signed elderly woman’s ‘death warrant’

Posted: 5 November 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

After 79-year-old June Brook was admitted to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital with sickness and diarroea last month, doctors at the hospital signed a ‘do not resuscitate’ order without the approval of her or her family. During her stay, it was granted by doctors that if her condition worsened, it would be a case of allowing her to die.  Paperwork stating that the order had been issued due to her family not being present was discovered in Mrs Brook’s handbag after she had been discharged from the hospital. The order found…

Child died because nurse used ‘too much force’

Posted: 15 October 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

10-year-old Pheobe Willis from Locking in North Somerset had been submitted to Westo General Hospital with a rare genetic condition in the summer of 2012, but died after a nurse “inserted her feeding tube with too much force”. Pheobe Willis’ family took her to Weston General Hospital after taking advice that the hospital had a specialist nurse for their daughter’s condition. She was treated by this nurse for her cystinosis on the 24th of August 2012, but then became severely ill and died of peritonitis two days later at Bristol’s Children Hospital.…

Hospital trust fined following death of diabetic patient

Posted: 9 October 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

The Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust has pleaded guilty to safety breaches after a diabetic patient died in 2007.  Gillian Astbury (66), from Hednesford in Staffordshire, died at Stafford Hospital after two nurses failed to provide her with insulin, causing her to fall into a diabetic coma.  The Nursing and Midwifery Council panel cautioned one of the nurses responsible, Jeannette Coulson, yet Ann King was struck off completely after both were found guilty of misconduct. The Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust now faces a large fine after pleading guilty to failures in…

Cancer patient left on a trolley for 12 hours

Posted: 4 October 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Cancer Diagnosis

Concerns have been raised after a terminally ill patient was left on a trolley in the accident and emergency department of Leicester Hospital because of a ‘bed shortage’. Hilary Gilhooley suffered from cancer in her spine and lungs and arrived at the hospital after becoming seriously ill.  She then spent 12 hours on a trolley, despite needing a specialist bed for her condition. Michael Gilhooley spoke about the treatment of his wife earlier this week, saying how “angry” he is at the way in which she was cared for. Hilary Gilhooley…

Hospitals fail at meeting national standards

Posted: 19 September 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Following numerous unannounced inspections, two Lincolnshire hospitals have failed to meet all national standards and have been criticised for their worryingly low staffing levels and lack of basic training. Lincoln County Hospital and Boston Pilgrim Hospital both operate under the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, which was put under special measures following the Keogh review in July. The trust failed in the following areas:  StaffingSupporting staffManagement of medicinesCare and welfare of those using the servicesRespecting and involving those using the servicesAssessing and monitoring quality of service provisionRecord keeping The United Lincolnshire…

Six-figure settlement for victim of caesarean section failures

Posted: 11 September 2013

Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence

Having endured a five-year battle for compensation, Candi Kaya (43) has received a six-figure settlement from Stafford Hospital for her life-changing injuries.  When Ms. Kaya gave birth to her daughter Hani, she was left in excruciating pain for six days after the planned caesarean section – injuries sustained in the operation went unnoticed, and untreated.  Having gone for six-days with untreated bladder damage, she developed urinary peritonitis, which also caused her bowel to rupture.  This then led to Ms. Kaya undergoing a series of major operations, which resulted in her…

Woman ‘died in squalor’ at Redditch hospital

Posted: 29 August 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Cancer Diagnosis, Wrongful & Accidental Death

After doctors at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch misdiagnosed Sandra Aston’s cancer as pneumonia, her daughter described the way in which she was treated as “worse than an animal”.  The daughter of 79-year-old Mrs Aston, Tracey Holmes from Evesham, said that her mother had been left in her room “cold and desperate, with bleeding cracked lips”. The hospital have apologised for their “unsatisfactory” standards of care, saying they are “deeply sorry”.  Mrs Holmes, however, described this apology as “pathetic”.   She provided examples of the hospital’s lack of care for her…

Ultrasound to stop kidney injuries

Posted: 4 August 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Research suggests that ultrasound can be used to prevent a common kidney injury that frequently follows major surgery.  After research on mice discovered the advantages of ultrasound when operating on kidneys – recently published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology – researches believe that this could quite easily be adapted for human use. Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) commonly develops after major surgery, such as heart operations, due to the kidneys being deprived of blood flow during the procedure.  AKI then triggers a sudden loss of kidney function, which…

Birth Injury Compensation Claims Birmingham

Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence

Pregnancy and childbirth represent exciting times for families, but the arrival of a new baby requires a journey that can be daunting, so it’s crucial that mother and baby are well-looked after in the run-up to birth. From time to time there are complications that arise both during the pregnancy and at the time of birth. Such complications can result in extreme stress and unfortunately may lead to both short and long-term complications. If you have either been injured during pregnancy or have a child who has been injured during…

‘Back to basics’ for Northern Lincolnshire hospitals

Posted: 20 July 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Following the array of issues recently highlighted across many NHS trusts; the government has put eleven under ‘special measures’.  One of these trusts, the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, has reacted to this by launching a ‘back to basics’ plan for their patients. The review that NHS England’s medical director, Prof Sir Bruce Keogh, carried out highlighted numerous worries within this particular trust – in Goole, Grimsby and Scunthorpe. The review recognised “inadequate staffing levels”, a poor system regarding medical staff recruitment, and “concerns regarding hydration and…

Birthplace of the NHS to lose A&E unit

Posted: 13 July 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Trafford General Hospital is due to be downgraded to an urgent care centre after being the first hospital to treat a patient under the NHS. The hospital is to lose its A&E unit, which will first be replaced by an urgent care centre, and then a minor injuries unit – announced the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt. Campaigners argue that this means that patients have to travel much further for the treatment they need Not only is the A&E unit of Trafford General to be affected by this change, but Jeremy Hunt…

Air Ambulances buy training dummies

Posted: 2 July 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Personal Injury

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Service have purchased three life-like dummies to improve training for its paramedics.  Two of the dummies are mannequins of adult males, while the other is that of a four-week-old baby.  Costing a total of £40,000 – to be used in both indoor and outdoor lessons – they hope to teach the core skills of airway, breathing, cardiac and circulation management. With functions as developed as eye movements – such as pupil dilation – breathing, abnormal breathing sounds and vascular access, Consultant Farhad Island believes that:…

Putting patients first

Posted: 3 April 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

The Government has announced that the quality of patient care will be put at the heart of the NHS in an overhaul of the health and care system in response to the Francis Inquiry. Hospitals and care homes will be encouraged to strive to be the best, the basic values of dignity and respect will be central to care training and, if things go wrong, patients and their families will be told about it. Radical new measures will be introduced to achieve this including Ofsted-style ratings for hospitals and care…

Medical error confines woman to wheelchair

Posted: 5 February 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A 35-year-old woman has been awarded compensation thought to be worth several million pounds after a medical error left her paralysed, reports the Birmingham Mail. Hazel Spence had undergone surgery at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham to remove a benign cyst from between her shoulder blades. The operation was successful, but two days later a junior doctor thought that a drain left in her back to drain fluid was blocked, and attempted to flush it out. This caused damage to her spinal cord, and Ms Spence was left paralysed…

Too many workers still exposed to bloodborne viruses

Posted: 15 January 2013

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Industrial Deafness and Disease, Medical Negligence

Recent figures released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) have revealed that there were 541 reports of needlestick injuries that exposed workers in the healthcare sector to patients carrying bloodborne viruses in 2011. This is double the amount compared to a decade ago (2002), when 271 exposures were reported. Since the HPA’s previous report, which presented data until the end of 2007, a further 2,039 occupational exposures to known bloodborne virus carriers have been reported in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Between 2008 and 2011 there were five patient to…

NHS will have to admit to patient safety failures

Posted: 11 December 2012

Posted in: Medical Negligence

New rules to toughen transparency in NHS organisations and increase patient confidence have been announced by the Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter. From April 2013, the NHS Commissioning Board will be required to include a contractual duty of openness in all commissioning contracts. This means that NHS organisations, such as hospitals, will be required to tell patients if their safety has been compromised, and ensure that lessons are learned to prevent them from being repeated. Although all NHS organisations are currently expected to be open about mistakes, there is no…

Medical Negligence Compensation Claims in Birmingham

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Medical negligence injuries, also known as clinical negligence, are those caused by medical professionals to their patients. Medical professionals such as doctors, dentists, nurses, orthodontists, and surgeons have a duty of care towards the health and safety of their patients. As a result, if a patient suffers an injury due to the medical professional’s negligence, then he or she could make a claim for compensation. Common clinical negligence injuries can be the result of the following: Injury to mother or child during childbirthmisdiagnosis of condition/symptomslate diagnosis of condition/symptomsprescription of the…